Home DIY Projects You Should Avoid At All Costs

Owning a home can almost feel dichotomous. On the one hand, it's your sacred sanctuary where the family gathers together, building memories. On the other, it feels like a lifelong improvement project where you're constantly juggling repairs and upgrades to keep your property fresh. With inflation sending contractor prices through the roof, seeking professional help for home improvement projects may be unthinkable for many. Yet, it might be a must for tasks that can be dangerous or that require specialized knowledge, experience, and tools.

Admittedly, DIYing home renovation has its allure. You save on labor costs, get productive on the weekends, learn new skills, and feel pride in your craftsmanship. Smattering your social media with before-and-after pictures is thrilling, too. However, you must have a certain knowledge base and a specific tool supply to handle certain projects. For some, YouTube tutorials just aren't enough. Otherwise, things can go alarmingly wrong. In fact, Hippo's 2024 survey revealed that 58% of homeowners exceeded their project budgets and 38% of DIYers spent hundreds of dollars to repair their mistakes. Given the risks, paying licensed individuals for their premium expertise makes more sense in many situations. To learn which DIYs you should call a pro for instead of tackling yourself, House Digest exclusively interviewed five remodeling experts for their advice. Here are the projects you should probably shouldn't tackle personally, and why.

Concrete work is expensive with contractors charging about $110 per cubic yard. Considering labor constitutes up to half of these charges, it's no surprise that many homeowners choose to DIY instead. However, in his exclusive House Digest interview, Mitch Coluzzi, head of construction at SoldFast, advises against it, saying, "Poorly executed concrete work is one of the most common DIY fails among homeowners and investors." He points out that chemical burns are a big concern. When wet cement lingers on your skin, it reacts with the sweat, leaving it itchy, red, or blistered — one of the most uncomfortable rookie DIY concrete mistakes, and one that contractors don't typically make.

Besides injury, a lot can go wrong during curing. "If you pour concrete below 40 degrees [Fahrenheit], it won't cure, and you'll have to use ground heaters and blankets," explains Coluzzi. You might also need to redo the concrete slab if it retains water during the finishing stage, which is labor-intensive. Worse yet, a heavy pour may result in premature cracking because the concrete develops unwanted air bubbles. "If the concrete looks frothy, you must use a concrete vibrator to push the bubbles out," he adds. "A hack that can help is to use concrete with a C-4 mix, which has a higher calcium content and cures faster." However, it may harden before you finish the project if you aren't quick enough. If you insist on DIYing concrete, stick to small-scale tasks like patios and pathways and leave major structural additions like foundations to the pros.

Are you thinking of adding new light fixtures to brighten up your kitchen? By all means, go ahead, but hire a licensed electrician instead of DIYing it. If you're confused about why it's necessary, HomeNovate Owner Karla Alvarado provides her reasoning in an exclusive chat with House Digest. The renovation expert explains, "Working with electrical systems is dangerous and requires a solid understanding of safety codes and procedures. Incorrect wiring can lead to electrical fires, shock hazards, or system malfunctions." Indeed, untrained individuals are often guilty of causing reversed polarity, when they interchange the screws into which neutral and hot wires go. On contact with the fixture, they may suffer electrocution. Other common novice electrical mistakes include drilling (or nailing) into existing wires and not cutting the power completely. So, Alvarado advises, "Unless you're a licensed electrician, this is a project best left to the professionals."

Aside from avoiding mishaps, hiring out electrical work has another advantage: delegating the paperwork to pros. Some states and counties require permits for installing new electrical components, and licensed electricians usually stay on top of these. Without proper permits, your property could develop a "latent defect." This means that even after washing your hands of the property, you may be liable for damage caused by faulty electrical. 

It's oddly satisfying when hosts and their teams break out a sledgehammer and tear down walls in HGTV shows. And chances are you feel just as encouraged to knock a wall or two to let the natural light in, open up your space, and update your home's aesthetic. It appears fairly uncomplicated, too, doesn't it? However, hold your horses before taking any action. "Removing load-bearing walls or altering the structure of your home can compromise the building's integrity," cautions Alvarado. A load-bearing wall essentially supports overhead structures like ceilings and roofs (or floors in multistoried buildings). As you can imagine, ripping them out without adequate support systems can cause caved-in ceilings or bent beams, impairing the home's safety.

"Without the proper knowledge of your home's framework, you risk creating instability, which could lead to costly damage or, in the worst case, collapse," she continues. In other words, unless you're a structural engineer, pay the pros for wall demolition. That way, you can be confident that your electrical lines and plumbing remain unharmed, as they often run through load-bearing walls. Plus, as Alvarado points out, structural demo usually requires proper permits and inspections. As licensed contractors are familiar with these processes, hiring them ensures you aren't violating the local codes. Otherwise, you could be penalized, lose your insurance coverage, and notice a drop in resale value due to unpermitted work.

Plumbing is another home improvement project that Alvarado believes is unsuited to the DIY format. In her words, "Plumbing work often requires knowledge of local codes, specialized tools, and an understanding of water flow and pressure. Mistakes here can lead to serious water damage, mold growth, or flooding." Unfortunately, mistakes are made as some forget to turn off the main water source before undertaking repairs. To bypass the step of soldering their drain pipes (because they could cause a fire), some opt for readymade kits, only to mess up the connection between different pipes. This can lead to water leakage, creating a hotbed for mold spores and mildew, plus a much higher repair bill. Improper sealing is another common DIY mistake that causes backflow issues, contaminating the home's water supply.

What's worse, "if a plumbing job is done incorrectly, it could also void your home insurance or damage the home's foundation," adds Alvarado. Hence, you must enlist the help of the pros for any major plumbing projects, such as installing new sinks and showers or repairing sewage lines. Their technical knowledge, expertise, and understanding of the local codes are well worth the price — even the Property Brothers recommend leaving these DIY projects to the professionals. However, if you're simply trying to plunge your way through a clogged toilet, knock your DIY socks off.

Imagine falling asleep while listening to your white noise machine, only to be jolted awake by raindrops leaking through the ceiling. Isn't it annoying? Yes, but it's not an invitation to climb the ladder up to your roof and fix it. "Roof repairs or replacements are not only physically demanding but can also be extremely dangerous," states Alvarado. The risks obviously come from working on a sloped structure at a considerable height. And, despite their training and experience, professional roofers even suffer falls and slips, making their job one of the most dangerous in the U.S. Given this, unqualified homeowners should certainly avoid DIYing roof repairs and replacements.

"Working at heights, dealing with the elements, and ensuring proper installation of roofing materials requires expertise to prevent leaks, structural issues, or accidents," insists Alvarado. Once you're on the roof, you might have to work in rapidly changing weather conditions. You must also work out how to get the materials on and off the roof (and the special tools that would help with this) without putting too much pressure on a single spot. Plus, you could wind up with subpar results, cutting your roof's expected lifetime short, or inadvertently voiding your roof warranty with a bad installation. "Improper roofing work can lead to costly repairs down the line," finishes Alvarado. So, don't cheap out and let the pros handle your roof's shingles and other components.

Generally, painting interior walls is touted as one of the most DIY-friendly home improvement projects. Simply cover the furniture and floors, tape off the things you don't want to be painted, and unleash the roller magic — easy peasy. However, sometimes revamping a room isn't as simple (or safe) as it seems. Carr Lanphier, CEO of Improovy, elaborates in his exclusive interview with House Digest, "Personally, I recommend homeowners avoid tackling DIY painting jobs that involve high or difficult-to-reach areas of the home. I've seen far too many cases where people have been injured in the worst case, or just unable to complete these jobs, leaving an unsightly and incomplete job for a professional to take over."

Take, for instance, a high ceiling that can't be reached without a stepladder. Aside from straining your neck and back, you also risk a freak fall, which isn't worth the savings. Sourcing specialized tools is another problem. "Not many homeowners will have the tools to complete a job such as a loft or high area over a landing or similar, not to mention navigating stairs with a ladder," relays Lanphier. That's why he feels tricky areas you can't easily reach to be one of the top reasons to consider hiring a professional painter.

Hiring a professional plumber can cost as much as a new water heater, doubling your costs, give or take a bit. Yet, in his exclusive conversation with House Digest, Kevin Bazazzadeh, owner of Brilliant Day Homes, advises against DIYing its installation. According to him, such fittings entail a whole set of perils that should give even the handiest homeowners pause. "For gas water heaters, there are the risks of a gas leak that could cause fires and explosions if installed incorrectly. In the case that the water connections are not properly secured, it may lead to significant flooding." He also alludes to real-life disasters wherein gas water heaters shot out like a rocket from the roof and exploded (literally!). Such events can be chalked up to a faulty installation, too. "Improperly setting the pressure relief valve may result in pressure buildup and catastrophic explosions," he elaborates.

Furthermore, Bazazzadeh is concerned that homeowners can mess up the venting — by leaving loose joints and connections between pipes — during DIY installations. "Improperly venting the water heater exhaust could result in carbon monoxide poisoning." That's why the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends slanting the horizontal venting pipes as they approach outdoors to limit the intake of carbon monoxide fumes in adverse events. "Licensed plumbers and professionals should handle the task to ensure safety and prevent additional costs," he concludes.

Once you have seen signs that tree removal is the right decision for your yard, consult a certified arborist as opposed to taking the risk associated with doing it yourself. Jeremy Yamaguchi, CEO of Lawn Love, states in his exclusive House Digest interview, "Unless the tree is very small and is far away from any structures, removing a tree is a dangerous task. You put yourself at risk, and there is major potential damage that can be caused." Indeed, there are lots of cases where nonprofessionals have suffered head trauma from a fallen limb, losing their lives. Even hired workers have suffered mishaps, putting their fatality rate at about 11 times higher than other industries, according to the Tree Care Industry Association. This, in part, is due to the unpredictability of where branches could fall, especially if the tree is decayed or diseased. 

Given these dangers, Yamaguchi states, "You want experts to come and do this for you so that the tree falls in the right direction, without hurting anything or anyone, and that your yard suffers minimal damage." It'll spare you the hassle of renting specialized equipment, investing in safety gear, and applying for permits (if your local regulations demand). Plus, you might be able to strike a deal for stump removal to give the area a cleaner look when it's cleared.